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Booming iPhone sales fuel Apple’s latest record-breaking quarter

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AI-generated image of a golden Apple logo with bright streaks behind it, used to illustrate a story about record-setting Apple earnings for Q2 2026.
Apple racks up another record-setting quarter.
Image: Midjourney/Cult of Mac

Apple on Thursday announced record earnings for its March quarter, with revenue up 17%. Sales of iPhones continue to boom, with revenue from handsets — Apple’s most important product — up 22% year over year.

“Today Apple is proud to report our best March quarter ever, with revenue of $111.2 billion and double-digit growth across every geographic segment,” said Tim Cook, Apple CEO, in a statement. “iPhone achieved a March quarter revenue record, fueled by such extraordinary demand for the iPhone 17 lineup.”

Time is running out on your Intel Mac — here’s why

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macOS 27 is the end of the line for Intel Macs
This 2019 MacBook Pro with an Intel chip will not get macOS 27.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Anyone still using an Intel Mac needs to know that when macOS 27 launches this fall, it won’t be available for computers that don’t use Apple’s own processors.

It’s not like your Intel-based Mac will suddenly explode in your face because it’s running an older version of macOS, but the odds of getting hacked go up considerably. Here’s why.

This smart telescope changed the way I look at the stars [Review] ★★★★

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DwarfLab Dwarf Mini Smart Telescope review★★★★
The DwarfLab Dwarf Mini captures gorgeous pictures of the cosmos, despite its small size.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Dwarf Mini smart telescope from DwarfLab cooperates with your iPhone to help you take amazing pictures of the stars — even in locations where you probably think it’s impossible. And it’s all thanks to the miracle of long-exposure images.

Even better, the telescope is comparatively tiny and sets up in minutes.

As a long-time stargazer, I was thrilled to test out the Dwarf Mini. And even more thrilled with the results.

Apple may have pulled the plug on Vision Pro

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Apple might not see a future for the Vision Pro
Buh-bye, Vision Pro?
AI image: ChatGPT/Cult of mac

Apple reportedly stopped all work on future versions of the Vision Pro. The AR headset has struggled to go mainstream and may now have been dropped — possibly at the insistence of Apple’s incoming CEO, John Ternus.

Instead, the company is allegedly changing its focus to smart glasses that offer fewer features but are lighter and more affordable.

Apple bets on AI to reinvent iPhone photo editing in iOS 27

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iOS 27 could add AI features to expand and enhance images
iOS 27 could use AI to make your photographs look better after you take them.
Photo: Anastasiya Badun/Pexels

Apple is reportedly prepping a significant upgrade to the photo-editing capabilities of the iPhone, iPad and Mac. The company will turn to artificial intelligence to let users enhance their images, including using generative AI to extend images beyond their current borders, according to information leaking out of Cupertino on Tuesday.

The news should raise the excitement level for iOS 27, macOS 27 and iPadOS 27, which should arrive this fall.

20th anniversary iPhone could say goodbye to bezels

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20th anniversary iPhone concept
This might be your first glimpse of the 20th anniversary iPhone.
Image: Ice Universe

Apple could be preparing one of the most dramatic iPhone redesigns in its history, with a 20th anniversary model that appears to eliminate screen bezels entirely.

It seems Apple users won’t need to go with the upcoming folding iPhone to get an iOS handset with an innovative design.

5 best Apple products of the Tim Cook era

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Give Tim Cook credit for his best products
Let's give Apple CEO Tim Cook credit where credit is due.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

Tim Cook doesn’t get enough credit for launching groundbreaking products as Apple CEO. He quietly oversaw launches that reshaped how people listen, make purchases and monitor their health. He even revitalized the Mac.

With Cook leaving the CEO spot to become chairman of Apple’s board of directors in September, it’s time for some perspective on his time in office. Here are five examples of Cook embedding Apple deeper into our lives than ever before.

Why all iPhone 18 models will include 12GB of RAM

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iPhone 18 leak suggests bigger RAM for non-Pro buyers
Expect the iPhone 18 to look much like its predecessor, but with internal upgrades.
Photo: Apple

Apple could deliver a significant performance upgrade to the base iPhone 18, with the smartphone potentially receiving a major increase in RAM — up to 12GB — according to a new analyst report.

This comes despite an ongoing RAM shortage that’s driving up prices of rival devices. But keeping up with AI probably doesn’t give Apple much choice.

4 reasons you should stop tracking Apple’s sleep score

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Apple Watch sleep score is wonderful, until it isn’t
Is sleep tracking with your Apple Watch actually making you more stressed?
AI image: Gemini/Cult of Mac

Each morning I wake up and check my sleep score on my Apple Watch. And then I wonder if it’s doing me any good. It’s certainly adding stress and hassle to my day.

That’s why I’m thinking of turning it off. Maybe you should, too.

This Anker 3-in-1 charging stand quickly powers up your iPhone [Review] ★★★★

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Anker Prime Wireless Charging Station review: for iPhone, Apple Watch and more★★★★
Juice up your iPhone, Apple Watch and more with the Anker Prime Wireless Charging Station.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

No patience for slow wireless chargers? Then you need to check out the Anker Prime Wireless Charging Station. It delivers up to 25W, and so can give an iPhone 17 a nearly 50% charge in half an hour. There’s even a fan to keep things cool.

At the same time, the accessory boasts charging mats for an Apple Watch and an AirPods wireless charging case. And it folds up for easy travel.

I put Anker’s sleek 3-in-1 fast-charger through its paces for this review. Here’s what I learned.

Here’s one thing John Ternus must not screw up as Apple CEO

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John Ternus must follow a rule that Tim Cook and Steve Jobs both knew.
John Ternus must follow a rule that previous Apple CEOs Tim Cook and Steve Jobs both knew.
AI image: Apple/ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

As the upcoming CEO of Apple, John Ternus is surely getting deluged with advice, and I do not have the hubris to tell him what he should do. But my decades of reporting on the tech business have shown me that there’s something he absolutely must not do … because it could ruin the company.

Do not ship anything before it’s finished. You’d think that would be obvious, but it’s a mistake companies make over and over. Even Apple has done it a time or two — and that includes with a product still in its lineup today.

Apple releases iOS 26.4.2, which ensures deleted messages actually disappear [Updated]

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Apple releases iOS 26.4.2 with focus on stability and security
Update your iPhone today to get rid of bugs.
Screenshot: Cult of Mac

Apple on Wednesday released iOS 26.4.2 to fix a bug that allowed messages deleted by a user to remain on the iPhone.

“Notifications marked for deletion could be unexpectedly retained on the device,” Apple said in its security notes about the update. “A logging issue was addressed with improved data redaction.”

Beyond that, it seems like a minor update that focuses on various bug fixes and incremental performance improvements rather than new features. Tablet users got iPadOS 26.4.2 at the same time.

Plus, those not yet willing to make the jump to iOS 26 got their own update — iOS 18.7.8 also appeared on Wednesday, along with iPadOS 18.7.8.

Powerful new charger streamlines charging for busy households

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Satechi ChargeView 140W Desktop Charger targets cluttered desks
The Satechi ChargeView 140W Desktop Charger can give a MacBook Pro full power.
Photo: Satechi

The Satechi ChargeView 140W Desktop Charger offers four USB-C ports to power up a MacBook, iPad, iPhone and other accessories all at once.

A highlight is a display that shows how much current is flowing through each port.

Expect John Ternus to be more decisive as Apple CEO

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Apple bets on decisiveness with John Ternus as next CEO
Future Apple CEO John Ternus is a man willing to make the difficult decisions.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s appointment of John Ternus as its next CEO signals a potential shift in leadership style at the company, with insiders pointing to his decisive approach to decision-making.

In contrast, outgoing CEO Tim Cook is more of a consensus builder.

Tim Cook steps down as Apple CEO, John Ternus steps in

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Apple names John Ternus CEO as Tim Cook becomes executive chairman
Apple just named John Ternus as its next CEO, with Tim Cook becoming executive chairman.
Photo: Apple

Apple announced a sweeping leadership transition on Monday, naming longtime executive John Ternus as its next chief executive officer in September. Current CEO Tim Cook will move into a new role as executive chairman of Apple’s board of directors at that time.

“It has been the greatest privilege of my life to be the CEO of Apple and to have been trusted to lead such an extraordinary company,” said Cook in a statement. “I love Apple with all of my being, and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with a team of such ingenious, innovative, creative, and deeply caring people who have been unwavering in their dedication to enriching the lives of our customers and creating the best products and services in the world.”

Folding iPhone could include feature many assumed was off the table

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The folding iPhone Ultra could include a feature many though it would lack
The folding iPhone Ultra could include a feature many though it would lack.
AI image: Gemini/Cult of Mac

Potential folding iPhone buyers can breathe a sigh of relief. New images of cases for the device — supposedly dubbed the iPhone Ultra — show it including MagSafe. Previously, we saw no sign of this feature in leaks about the much-anticipated handset.

This could have been a deal-breaker for some buyers.

Make your iPhone completely hacker-proof — with a huge downside

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iPhone Lockdown mode: Apple’s most powerful iPhone security tool
You can be confident that Lockdown Mode will keep your iPhone safe from spyware.
AI image: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

There’s a setting called Lockdown Mode you can activate on your iPhone that will make it virtually impossible to hack. Just by flipping a switch, you can make your iPhone incredibly secure. So secure, in fact, that Apple says no phone using Lockdown Mode has ever been hacked.

Sure sounds great. Surprise — here’s why you don’t want to use it.

iPhone users are more loyal to Apple than ever

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iPhone loyalty hits a new high
Love your iPhone? You are not alone. Very few iPhone users have any interest in switching.
AI image: Gemini/Cult of Mac

Phone users are sticking with Apple at unprecedented levels, according to a new nationwide survey, underscoring the growing strength of the company’s ecosystem and the challenges facing rivals trying to win them over.

And while Android users’ loyalty to their smartphone maker is noticeably weaker, that doesn’t mean huge numbers are switching to Apple.

Why Apple is sending Siri developers to AI coding bootcamp

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Photo of two people coding on a laptop, used to illustrate a story about Apple employees learning AI coding skills to finish Siri
Apple will retrain existing employees with AI coding skills.
Photo: Mizuno K/Pexels

Apple will reportedly send a sizable share of its Siri development team to an intensive, multi-week bootcamp to improve their AI coding skills. To be clear, the employees won’t be learning how to make an AI, but how to use AI to develop.

It’s part of a push to finally complete the revamp of Apple’s voice assistant that the company promised years ago.

Gemini Mac app puts Google AI right in your workflow

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Gemini for Mac app gives you a new AI option.
Gemini for Mac offers a faster, more integrated way to get AI help.
AI image: Google/Apple/Gemini/Cult of Mac

Google brought its Gemini AI assistant directly to Mac, launching a new native macOS app on Wednesday. The app makes it easy to share what’s on your computer’s screen with the AI.

It’s designed to be more tightly integrated with the user’s workflow than the web version.

3 ways to give your old iPhone a performance boost

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Cartoon image of three iPhones with white beards and tennis shoes running down a track, used to illustrate a story on how to speed up again iPhones.
Simple steps can give your older iPhone better performance.
AI image: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

Stop me if this sounds familiar: Your old iPhone just doesn’t have the same pep it used to and you’re desperate to speed it up. Ignore the nasty iPhone conspiracy theory — the real reason for the slowdown is rooted in battery chemistry, diminishing amounts of available memory, and the evolving demands of modern iOS apps.

Fortunately, you can take steps to improve the speed of your older iPhone. Here’s what to do.

Apple holds the line while rivals jack up prices

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Microsoft and Samsung raise prices, testing consumer demand
Prices for lots of Samsung and Microsoft gear just took a jump. Ouch!
AI image: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

Rising costs across the global tech supply chain are forcing some of Apple’s biggest competitors — most notably Microsoft and Samsung — to increase prices on smartphones, tablets and notebooks, signaling a potential shift in the competitive landscape for consumer electronics.

Apple has not increased prices. It’s actually recently moved the opposite direction by introducing the most affordable MacBook ever.

Apple seems confident that folding iPhone will be a hit

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Apple increased its bet on folding iPhone success
Apple is allegedly upbeat about demand for the iPhone Ultra, its first foldable.
AI image: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

Apple is reportedly ramping up its supply of a critical component for the foldable iPhone, even as the broader market for foldable smartphones shows signs of slowing.

According to a supply chain report published Tuesday, the company increased its orders of foldable display panels by roughly 20%, a move that signals growing confidence in the long-rumored device.

New 10-port hub brings 8K video and high-speed networking to MacBooks

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Plugable USBC-10IN1E helps reduce MacBook port limitations
The Plugable USBC-10IN1E could be the powerful hub your MacBook needs.
Photo: Plugable

Plugable Technologies on Tuesday launched the USBC-10IN1E, a new 10-in-1 USB-C hub aimed at delivering docking station-level performance in a compact design. The company says the device stands out in a crowded market by combining high-wattage charging, advanced display support and faster networking in a single accessory.

Despite the advanced features, the new product is quite affordable — which is not surprising for Plugable.

Slim MagSafe iPhone power bank is made for wireless charging haters [Review] ★★★★

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Clutch Pro review: Slim power bank without wireless charging★★★★
With Clutch Pro, you can have a slim power bank while avoiding wireless charging.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Clutch Pro is for anyone who wants a very slim power bank that magnetically attaches to their iPhone, but who doesn’t like wireless charging. This tiny 5,000mAh external battery includes a USB-C connector on a cable for easy charging.

I tested it with my iPhone 17 and my iPad too. Here’s why I like it.